When the apostle Paul was a prisoner, the ship that was to carry him to Rome was stationed in Crete, but the captain did not want to spend the winter on the island and seeing that the wind was good, decided to go – against the advice of Paul who had perceived in his mind that the journey would not be without risk. Very quickly, the ship carrying one of the greatest genius of his time, came under strong wind, “Euroquilon” (you see, everything that begins with “Euro” is not always necessarily good), which led him into a terrible storm. Already, it was not easy to be trapped among the prisoners, but now his life and the lives of the other passengers where in danger.
Everything that begins with “Euro” is not always necessarily good
Some would venture by blaming God for the storm. But I have good news for everyone: God does not send storms. If storms came from Him, then Jesus would have acted against his father when he cried against the storm, saying, “Peace, be still” (Mark 4.39). Similarly, when his disciples were taken with great fear by the violence of the waves, Jesus allowed Peter to walk on water and once on the boat, they found themselves on the shore.
How many storms attack God’s people? So many. And no, they are not sent by God. God does not send the storm, but He invades it. He decides to do something when it comes. Here, in the case of Paul, we can imagine what happens. A terrible storm arose with such aggressiveness that for fourteen days and fourteen nights, the passengers could not see the light of the day because the clouds had blackened each plunging into the darkness of a twilight sky. The ship left lying powerless lute against the wind and “we let her drive … we secured the skiff with difficulty… they struck sail and so were driven.” But now, when all – except Paul – were afraid for their lives (“we lost all hope of saving us”), the Lord decided to invade the storm (Acts 27). He probably said, “Ah, the devil is working hard against my servant Paul by sending him such a storm. Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll divert the boat and drive it to the island of Malta, and my servant, Paul, will lay hands on the sick and proclaim my name all over the island.” That’s what he did after an angel of God appeared to him confirming that Paul was to appear before Caesar (Rome) and therefore, it meant he had to get there.
Often the enemies’ forces are doing everything they can to prevent Christians from reaching their destination, from accomplishing God’s plan for their lives, from fulfilling God’s assignment for them, but the Lord is still the one that says: “Fear not, I am with you and I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Thus, the passengers dock on the shores of an island – Malta – and the Lord makes divine arrangements and the result is extraordinary:
“In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. 8 And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. 9 So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. 10 They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.” (Acts 28:7-10)
God did not send the storm but he did not waste it either. He does not send it, but He invades it to change what the devil had planned for evil.
This makes me think directly of Joseph, son of Jacob. He was loved by his father, who gave him a coat of many colors – what made him step out of line, while everyone else was dressed in dull colors. Now, wherever Joseph would go, we could not fail to notice him. He had a dream and his brothers hated him. For single answer to their hatred, Joseph made a new dream. When people want you to stop dreaming, dream again. This time, they conspired to kill him. Very often it is the people around you who will harm you the most. You know the rest. One of his brothers, Ruben, prevented the murder, and they threw him into a pit, then he is sold into slavery and in the house of Potiphar, the head of the Pharaonic guard. After some time, his wife tries to seduce Joseph, but this one refuses to compromise and another storm comes to him. Taking a stand for God costs. Here Joseph ends up in prison and after a few years, in one day he went from prison to palace. The years pass, and after a great famine, his brothers come to Egypt to seek for help. They do not know that whoever is in front of them is none other than their brother Joseph. The latter, after proving his brothers, reveals himself to them and they are afraid. To reassure them, the strong man of Egypt said to them, “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5).
God did not send the storm but he did not waste it either. He does not send it, but He invades it to change what the devil had planned for evil.
Notice. God sent Joseph to Egypt. Joseph confirmed it. But he also said, “do not be angry because you sold me here” … Joseph is clear about the fact that his brothers sold him, not God. What happened is that God saw the storm coming in Joseph’s life, He did not send it, but He decided to invade it. His brothers sent this terrible storm against him, but God invaded it and changed the direction of wind towards Egypt. “ So now it was not you who sent me here, but God” v.8 ; and later he signs and persists in his interpretation of what happened to him wisely distributing the responsibilities :
“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day” (Gen. 50:20). His brothers are responsible for the evil they had planned, but God has changed evil into good.
God does not send the storm, He does not send the divorce, He does not send the distress, the financial crisis in your family, it is not He who sends discord in your relationships, it is not He who sends events. He does not send them, but He invades them at last! Let the storms invade your life. As Paul visited by the angel, believe that it will be done to you as you were told: the Bible is full of promises, each one is an accurate word of God to and for you. Believe them and He will do the rest.
